See? SEE?! *points to unknown reviewer who wisely did not put his/her name* THEY THINK THIS STORY SUCKS!! *pout* Okay, u know wut, wutever. I'm writing this right now not for CWM's sake but cuz I'm bored as anything and I need something else to focus on besides hyperbolas and hydrochloric acid and Antietam. -_-;; Sorry, this is the week before spring break and I am dead tired; had THREE (count 'em, THREE!!) papers from 4-10 pages long due, TWO projects, and FOUR FRIGGIN' TESTS! AAAUUUUGGGGHHHH! Oh well, spring break will hopefully rejuvenate me. :-p (Anyone else in high school has my pity; for my college buddies, *RASPBERRY*) If I take a while to get the next chapter up, its cuz its under major revision from its first draft and I haven't had a chance to work very far into it. *SIGH*

I'm getting stranger and stranger reviews by the minute. O_o Can't reply to them all, but I haven't gotten a real flame yet (I think ^_^;;) and I would like to thank you all for reading and dropping your responses back. :-p Glad you guys like it so far and thanks for trying to convince me that this story doesn't suck compared to CWM. -_-;; Er... do I really have to type out Jounouchi? *whine* Augh, its so hard on the fingers... Besides, Jou's so cute of a name and I luv using it. Plus it sounds like "Joey", which is the dubbed name I'm more used to even though I've take up Japanese names for the heck of it. Hm... Most of you had some pretty interesting ideas and some pretty curious predictions, most of which were close; for those of you that mentioned something about Yami AND Bakura getting their bodies back, you're absolutely right! Bakura's actually going to play a bigger part then it might seem in the beginning; I actually had to force Bakura/Ryou relationship in there (u can tell I'm not really trying) cuz of something that's gunna happen to Bakura at the very end. Nothing terribly, really, cuz I luv our fave little ickle thief to death. *GLOMP* (He'd kill me for that comment, I know...)

EMERGENCY NOTES (to some old buddies): (again, I'm SO sorry if I didn't include you here or in actual reply to reviewers; these are only reviews/notes/emails that demand absolute replies or otherwise I don't sleep kind of thing. ^_^;; I'm so sorry if you feel left out! Don't worry, I read EVERY LAST ONE of my reviews, so if I didn't mention you above or below, don't sweat cuz I got the message. :-p)

DALEE - omg I'm so sorry! I've been so busy the past weeks that I STILL haven't gotten to your emails (I didn't get to much of anyone else's either -_-;;) and I wasn't sure when you were coming back cuz you typed 'April 29th' as your return date. AUGH I have a lot to rant off to you about but it might take me until the actual vacation to have time to reply. SORRY!! But um, thanks for reading the story no matter where you were! (where were you again? ^_^;;) Oh, and I got lots of cool s/yy stuff (stories and pics and doujinshi's galore!) to share w/ you once I get the chance. :-p

MISS SERA - dude, don't pop anything ^_^;; Its okay that you didn't find this story; its off to kinda a rough start, so nothing special. :-p Thanks for liking it though...

HIGH PRIEST SETO - O_o;;;;;;;;; Sugoroku/Yami...? Er... that wasn't quite what I had in mind for this story but uh... interesting suggestion. ^_^;; lol in my opinion there's NEVER enough s/yy out there. :-p

BLUESEPTEMBER and TWILIGHTHUNTER- can't thank you enough! *blissful sigh* you two know so much and u have all the best yami/seto stuff... thank you!!

DUO'S ONLY CHICK - er, don't worry, I'm slow sometimes too...

+++Chapter Disclaimers+++

~Featured is one of my favorite songs in the entire world; Once Upon a December, from the animated Anastasia. Its *so* sweet and beautiful and really describes the pain of having no memory and no past. (Yeah, I know, I'm a dork and I'm like seven years behind the times, but I like being a dork, okay?!) ANASTASIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME.

~Also featured is a random little thing from Moulin Rouge that I felt like tossing in; One Day I'll Fly Away; the lyrics are mainly in two big chunks that I stuck in whenever I felt like it. ^_^ Don't mind, but it applies pretty well... MOULIN ROUGE DOES NOT BELONG TO ME.

~~~~~~~~~~
/.../ = mindlink connection (between aibou's and yami's)

'...' = personal thoughts

... = translated ancient Egyptian

//...// = thought speak (for gods only; assumed to be Egyptian but understood by all)

"..." = spoken dialogue (if in English, assumed to be Japanese)

lots of italics = dreams/flashbacks/visions

bold = song lyrics

[ ] = footnotes

AN = author's note
~~~~~~~~~~

~*~*~*~*~*~Yearnings of the Heart~*~*~*~*~*~

It was raining.

Again.

Yami sat, liked always, against the windowsill, his eyes immeasurably sad as he peered out through the torrent of water sliding down the window pane. He used to be fascinated by such a sight --for rain was fairly rare in Egypt-- but since Domino was a rather rainy city, he had long lost interest. Still, he had been sitting here for hours, well into the night, mainly from lack of anything to do or anyone to talk to. Sugoroku snored down the hall, and Yugi was quietly sleeping in his bed, having gone to bed early after being thoroughly exhausted.

Yami turned his gaze slightly, watching his cherubic hikari sleep under the mountain of blankets, nothing but a mass of brilliant hair and a lump in the bed. Watching the boy's deep breathing rhythmically raise and lower the sheets, the spirit smiled sadly. Deep sleep was a good sign. Yugi needed his rest, after all; the poor child had gotten so little in the last year or so that it seemed to have accumulated into this constant weariness that not even Yami's magic could fully hide.

Besides, they've all had a busy week.

Within moments of leaving the museum, Yugi had been unable to hold in his secret, blurting it abruptly to Ryou and Sugoroku when the three of them were waiting for a taxi. Yami had been too distressed and too shocked to pay attention to their reaction, though he dimly realized from the safety of his soul room that Yugi spent the next few hours doing lots of explaining. Briefly, overwhelmed by the need to pace, Yami separated from the Puzzle only to meet Bakura in the living room, who had apparently went there to escape interrogation.

Bakura's eyes were, for once, mellow and distant, and he was curled up on the Motou's couch, radiating a strange amount of fear and uncertainly that all but matched the Pharaoh's. It was then that Yami heard Ryou's voice from the kitchen, excitedly; Bakura's body, like Yami's, was in that experiment room.

For the longest time, Yami stood there alone with Bakura, unable to find anything to say or do.

It was funny, really... All this time... All this time, both of them had wished for nothing but their own bodies, for some spark or remembrance of the world that they had loved but now had left behind --Yami more then Bakura, most of all. But now that the spirits had abruptly found their old bodies, it seemed neither one of them knew what the hell to do about it.

Dancing bears...
Painted wings...
Things I almost remember....

And a song
someone sings
once upon a December...

Leaving Bakura alone without another word, Yami went back into the Puzzle, mind drifting aimlessly. He could feel his aibou's excitement through their bond, and many times felt Yugi trying to coax him out, but he refused, pretending to rest. Eventually Yugi went to sleep, both worried and hysterically happy.

How could he not be? After all this time, Yami might have a chance to find out about his past. His real past, not just the blurry images that Ishizu's Necklace painted out for them. And after all, the Pharaoh's tomb had finally been open, and by sheer chance --or Ishizu's doing-- his body now laid just across town.

Then why, why wasn't Yami happy? By all means, the Pharaoh knew he should be... but he wasn't. In fact, he was downright terrified.

He got gotten so used this double-mind thing... so used to walking through walls and being ignored that he had long accepted that as what he was, some undead parasite upon the living. The distant memory and the mere thought that he once had a body of his own, complete with flesh and blood and hair like Yugi's... Well, the idea was close to absurd.

Had he truly been... a boy once? A boy with arms that could wave and legs that could run and maybe a mouth that would stretch into a grin? A boy like Yugi, like Jou, like Mokuba...? A normal guy like everyone else in this gods-forsaken world?

Yami shook his head, shuddering though he had no body to tremble. He was frightened, he admitted it. He had been totally unprepared for this. Saving the world? No problem. Kicking some evil gargantuan butt? Hell yeah. Meeting your own decomposed body? Eh... a little harder to accept.

Now that he knew his tomb had been opened to the world, Yami had absolutely no idea what to do. What, should he just storm in there and claim rightful ownership of all his stuff? Probably could, but the stuff was nothing but a bunch of historical antiques anyhow, and now he was no longer ruling Pharaoh so therefore he had no true use for any of it.

He watched as a flash of lightening danced across the sky, blurred and distorted by the waterfall of rain pouring from the sky. He was tempted to run out there now. Run out there and get soaked in the rain and feel utterly great about.

But he could not.

With a scowl at the world, he let his gaze wander to the book by his foot that Yugi had been so kind of leave open. With a little bit of magic, the spirit opened it to a certain pull-out page, a full-length snapshot of one of the most important keys of Egyptian history; the Order of Kings. Pharaoh Seti I and his Crown Prince, Ramses II --who would later go on to become one of the greatest of ancient Pharaohs-- once made a list of all the Pharaohs that had ruled before them, save a few rebels that they felt did not deserve acknowledgement. [1]

Yami's sharp gaze wandered down the long pull-out, taking in the faded cartouches until he reached one that had been crudely circled by Yugi's marker.

Darkness...

That was his name. Here was blatantly proof that he was once a breathing, moving living being like Seti and Ramses and all the other Pharaohs. Obviously, he once had a body.

Key word; had.

What about now?

Acquiring a body had been a goal so foreign and distant to Yami that he had all but deemed it unreachable. For thousands of years, he had been fine without a physical form, using magic to manipulate the world to his every whim. True, it was a false sense of living, but it was a damn good one since no one could stand in your way.

Still...

Still, he could not fight off the occasional wave of loneliness that haunted him from time to time, that horrible feeling of being utterly ignored by the outside world when he saw Sugoroku hugging Yugi good night, or brushing aside his grandson's hair, or kissing the boy on the head. And Yami wished that... that just once... maybe Sugoroku could hug him too, and touch his face so softly like he did with Yugi, and maybe ruffle his hair affectionally before he went to sleep.

But even if Sugoroku wanted to, that would have been an impossible task. After all, to the material universe, the ghost known as 'Yami' did not exist. Sometimes, feeling his aibou's hunger while the boy was doing homework, Yami would go downstairs to get a snack only to find his hand going right through the fridge. Or after a bad nightmare, Yugi might seek comfort in his yami's open arms only to find himself face-down on the floor.

The Pharaoh hugged himself lightly, taking in a shuddering breath.

How long has it been since he's touched another? Better yet, how long has it been since another touched him? When was the last time a father bounced him happily in his lap or a friend patted his shoulder in reassurance? When was the last time he was openly embraced by arms that could touch him or was even kissed by lips that could meet his without going through?

Ra, how long has it been?

Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm...
Figures dancing gracefully
across my memory...

Someone holds me safe and warm...
Horses prance through a silver storm...
Figures dancing gracefully
across my memory...

Yami reached out with a shaking hand, brushing it lightly across the windowpane. His fingers met it gently, though the contact just an illusion for he felt nothing except a slight twinge in his sixth sense telling him that he had met some sort of physical barrier. With a shuddering breath, Yami pushed his hand further, watching it disappear straight through the window and into the storm outside, though he could not feel the chill nor the rain. Withdrawing his hand quickly, Yami felt his heart throb, though he knew that that organ ceased to exist a long time ago. He looked at his fingers, flexing them; wretched things they were, the model of perfect grace and beauty though he could see right through them. Absentmindedly reaching out to stroke the window again, the spirit let out a long-tortured sigh. How he longed to feel that cold, smooth surface under his fingers... To feel the raindrops splatter on his fingers and to breath the cool air blowing in front the vent above his head.

But he could not.

Yugi stirred, mumbling something in his sleep, kicking away the blankets. For a moment the boy shifted back and forth before snuggling into his pillow, curling his legs up and shivering in the cold. He never woke.

Frowning, Yami stood, stepping over the Egyptology book to walk to his aibou's side. His feet left no imprints on the carpet. Choosing to ignore this observation, the Pharaoh kneeled, watching Yugi carefully for signs of awakening. When pleased to find none, Yami reached over to re-cover his precious hikari, settling the thick sheets over the boy's shivering form, tucking it gently around the tiny body. It was not his fingers but magic that moved the blanket, though Yami took a little comfort in the illusion that it at least looked like his fingers were doing the work.

Sighing and kneeling once more, Yami settled himself down by Yugi's head, stroking the boy's angelic face. 'Poor child...' he murmured dryly to himself, '...getting stuck with me of all people.' He course, he wouldn't trust any other spirit with Yugi either, but he knew it had been hard on the boy to be put through so many traumatizing experiences just because of some grumpy spirit who refused to remain dead.

Yami didn't know how Yugi could stand him. Their first meeting was less then remarkable, with Yami almost blowing Yugi to bits in alarm when he was so rudely awaken. After that, it was all downhill. First, Yami went around killing everyone because he didn't really know how to do anything else. Then Pegasus kidnaps Sugoroku and drags Yugi and his friends into this big mess at Duelist Kingdom, while Marik and Noah came in to the play to create even a bigger mess. Of course, Ishizu and Shadi created their own messes, and having Bakura tossed into the mix didn't exactly make Yugi or Yami's lives any easier.

And Kaiba... Well, Yami didn't know what to make of Kaiba. Formerly a High Priest and now possibly the most powerful man in the world, the CEO was sometimes an ally and sometimes a foe, depending on which side he felt like leaning toward. He was, most of the time, dubbed as an ice cube whom cared for no one and nothing, and yet sometimes he would sit in the back of the class, stroking his card locket in clear longing for his little brother. To say the least, the man was confusing. Fascinating, in Yami's opinion, but very confusing.

Mortals were all so confusing...

And yet, through all the Pharaoh's eccentricies, little Yugi showed remarkable strength of heart. Willingly giving up his soul and life on multiple occasions, he cared nothing for himself, something that had bewildered the long dormant Pharaoh sleeping in his body.

How strange these mortals were...! They laughed when facing death, and cried when they were happy. Some openly sought out risk and danger, while others were out there saving the planet and hugging trees. Others announced war on each other for no reason, while some sought out self-exile. Some, like Yugi, would give up anything to protect others, against all scientific reasons stating that the only goal of organic organisms was to survive.

Yami shook his head, using a little magic to brush some of Yugi's hair out of his face. He would never understand them, these mortals. His hikari especially, Yugi being such a remarkable and complicated boy.

The spirit continued watching his young charge for a while, a cheerless smile upon his face. He was lucky, he knew. Very very lucky. Perhaps Yugi didn't know it, but Yami had been terribly vulnerable those first few days after his awakening, in which he spent trying desperately to figure out what he was doing here in this strange and unfamiliar world. Had anyone else found the Puzzle, he or they or both of them would have been utterly destroyed. Still, no one but Yugi had the patience and the heart to teach him how to laugh, how to care, how to joke... even if he had no mouth to do so.

But there was one thing Yugi couldn't help Yami with, even though the poor boy tried his hardest to.

Yami felt a rising wave of frustration and despair within him that was becoming now getting far too familiar. Wrenching himself away from Yugi, the spirit buried his face in his hands, thin shoulders shaking.

He couldn't stand this any more! Just once, just once, he wished he could hold Yugi like the son and little brother he never had. Just once he wished he would touch the cold windowpane or feel the tiny impacts of rain droplets upon his skin. Just once he wished he could bury himself under some covers and sleep a long, well-deserved sleep.

Just once, he wanted to know, damnit! He wanted to know his home, his family and...and the past that he could no longer remember. He wanted to know the faces of those ghostly figures that he always imagined or the name of the ancient buildings that he always saw or the face of the father that he knew he had or the voice of the mother that he knew he once loved... Oh, he wanted to know so many things...!

Yami let out a sob, clutching his head. Damnit, if only he could remember!

Far away...
Long ago...
Glowing dim as an ember...

Things my heart
used to know...
Things it yearns to remember...

It took him just a few minutes to reach a shaky decision, and a rather risky one at that. He would go see Ishizu. It wasn't like he's never done it before, though it had always been with Yugi's body. Still, while he might be bound to the Puzzle and his hikari, that didn't mean Yami couldn't wander away from them for a while, did it?

Standing with renewed determination, the Pharaoh took a moment to compose himself even though it was futile since no one could see him anyway. He hesitated, soaking in the sight of Yugi, who slept peacefully on. He hated to leave the boy alone, even for a little while, but with the Puzzle by the boy's head, the yami would be alerted of any trouble and could teleport home instantly if needed. Plus, if he didn't see Ishizu and get some answers, Yami was afraid that Yugi's room wouldn't survive another cleaning.

Yami took a deep breath, heading for the door. He hesitated briefly, glancing back at Yugi's angelic face as a clap of thunder lit up the room. /Sleep tight, little hikari.../ the spirit whispered, sorrowfully, /Sweet dreams.../

And a song
someone sings
once upon a December...

~*~*~*~*~*~

Puddles were fascinating. At least Yami thought so.

There he stood in the middle of the street, an invisible spirit dressed in ridiculous white PJ's, skipping and stomping into puddles only to watch with great disappointment as his foot barely stirred the water. Sighing, heart heavy, Yami stuck his hands into his pants only to realize that the illusionary PJ's had no pockets. Growling irritably, he continued down the street, glaring at the gloomy world around him not so much that it was dreary but because he simply couldn't touch it. Again and again, lightening and thunder lit up the sky, revealing an empty, flooded road devoid of living creatures, pedestrians or cars. Dark alleyways separated the passing buildings, shadow all but dominated their walls.

Yami wanted to laugh. He could fit out here nicely.

/What are you doing, Pharaoh?/

Yami tensed, cursing himself for not sensing an intruder. True, the growing distance between him and the Puzzle were limiting his pours, but he still should have sensed something. He stiffened, head high, form taunt. /I should ask you the same thing, tomb robber,/ he all but hissed.

Bakura came up next to him, looking equally ridiculous in a huge, earth-tone T-Shirt with SAVE THE TREES planted squarely on the front. Yami raised an eyebrow. At least Yugi had the decency to wear pants.

/Don't you say a word. Stupid hikari has stupid tastes,/ snorted Bakura, poking at the shirt irritably.

Yami made an 'o' with his mouth and said nothing else, continuing down the street at a steady, light pace. He was startled to find Bakura following him; he expected the other spirit to run off to kill some stray cats or something, or at least bug him for a while before turning to go set something on fire. The Pharaoh tensed again, bristling with magic just in case he needed it. /...Why are you following me?/

/What's it to you?/

/Oh, its just that normally you don't follow 'idiot Pharaohs' around like some sniveling dog./

Bakura sent him a dangerous glare. /...Where are you going?/ he asked finally, avoiding the issue.

/What's it to you?/ echoed Yami, loving word games.

/...So you're going there too, huh?/

Yami paused, somewhat bewildered. Was Bakura bluffing or did he seriously just figure out where his destination was? /So where are you going?/ he demanded.

/Same place you are./

Silence.

Yami pursed his lips, but quickened his pace.

No other words were exchanged. They both knew and felt the same thing, helpless to do anything but respond to the growing urge within them that called them to the museum. Inside that Ra-damned building were precious bits of the world they had both left behind and, as much as they hated to admit it, the bodies they had long abandoned.

It was rather ironic, Yami thought. Three thousand years ago, he was the highest of the high and Bakura was the lowest of the low, but now they were the sole survivors of the same dead world, reduced to wearing ridiculous clothes while walking barefoot through a stormy night in a foreign city, worst of all with each other.

Yami laughed to himself, drawing a weird look from Bakura. 'My, how times have changed...'

~*~*~*~*~*~

"...They are coming..."

"...Are you sure?"

"...Yes..."

"Good."

~*~*~*~*~*~

The museum was dark and empty, but that meant nothing to spirits who had thrived dozens of centuries on this type of environment. Since they had no human eyes, both yami's could see fine in pitch darkness, meandering around with ghostly grace and ease.

They found the exhibit easily, passing straight through artifacts and solid walls without bothering with the doors. Somewhere along the way, Bakura drifted down a different corridor, obviously uncomfortable with spending more time with the Pharaoh then he already had. Which was totally fine with Yami himself, who himself was growing uncomfortable to the strange silence that had settled between them. He hadn't expected Bakura to join him tonight of all nights, and in the dead middle of a storm; worst still, the tomb robber was oddly passive, barely peeping a single insult. Then again, that was how Yami himself felt; there was no point in small talk and pointless ponderings when there was so much to do and so much on their minds.

His train of thought was abruptly derailed when he stepped into the main chamber of the exhibit, sensing that there was a large object that had not been there before. Meandering his way around with small tendrils of magic, Yami cautiously stepped over the jewelry and artifacts that laid scattered about, intent on respecting --of all things-- his own stuff despite the fact he couldn't disturb them anyway.

The newest addition of the exhibit was, apparently, a huge sarcophagus, located just below the guarding form of the infamous model-mannequin.

Yami stiffened instantly, fearful to go any closer. No Egyptian --save embalmers and some priests-- was ever to be close to a sarcophagus. And no sane Egyptian would ever want to disturb the dead, especially their sacred bodies. And judging by the size and the sheer amount of valuable metals and gems engraved upon it, this was a royal sarcophagus, containing --no doubt-- a member of royalty.

By process of elimination, that must be him.

Very suddenly, Yami's mind shut down. He was terrified.

He dimly realized that scientists must have moved the sarcophagus here and replaced the body after they were done 'experimenting', though he half wished it was locked away in those lab lockers so he didn't have to face it. Now faint magic was emitting from the inside of the coffin and Yami suddenly recognized it as his own signature aura, despite the fact that it was very weak and worn down by time.

Most interesting.

For a long moment, he stood perfectly still, petrified to the spot. If he had organs, his stomach must be doing gymnastics. Yet he still couldn't bring himself to move.

Finally, Yami took a deep breath, cursing his sudden meekness. This was not the time nor the place to be weak, of all things. Not that it mattered, since Bakura was elsewhere and he was completely alone. His pride slightly reassured by this, the spirit managed to take one step closer, flinching nervously as he did so. In an instant, he was bombarded by the empty threats of ancient spells which, much to his amusement, had already been deactivated. 'Must be Ishizu's doing...'

Eventually, shy and hesitant as a lamb, he edged his way to the sarcophagus's side, glancing briefly up at the mannequin towering above him before gulping and redirecting his gaze downward.

He sensed a thin glass case covering the sarcophagus and another inside it, protecting four alabaster canopic jars that guarded the coffin's sides. [2] Inwardly shuddering, Yami's gaze soaked in the jars the jars briefly before his eyes moved on, nervously. He could make out that the sarcophagus was open, revealing gold coffins fitted neatly within each other, each one lidless with their respective lids place beside the sarcophagus.

Yami felt himself shiver as he peered over them and down... down... down...

And then he saw it. His own body, almost fully unwrapped now, devoid of anything except a thin layer of ancient linen which failed to cover the face. The corpse was hugely dehydrated and decomposed, the limbs little more then black, resin-dry skin on bones. His head was just as strange looking, all but a skull with sunken, rotting flesh on it, what few strands of hair remaining faded to a pitiful bleached gray.

But his face...! Decomposed as it might be, it still bore hints of a strong jaw and a button nose, completed with thinly arched eyebrows and full lips.

Utter revulsion was Yami's first reaction, but fascination and astonishment kept him firmly in place, leaning over the mummy like some star-struck child. It was... well... skin-crawling to see your own face staring up at you, but at the same time, Yami was somewhat relieved to find his former body was in one piece, not blasted into atoms as Bakura once told him.

'Ra-damned, dirty-talking liar,' he mumbled to himself, beaming with some akin to pride. Disgust put aside, he noted that his embalmers had done a rather good job; despite the unavoidable decomposition of muscles and the obvious discoloration of the skin, the body looked... okay. Pathetic and bald, unfortunately, but not bad. For a dead corpse, anyway.

Unable to resist, the spirit gently put one hand against the glass and pushed, passing through it easily. Biting his lip, Yami reached in further, inching his hand along the edge of the sarcophagus. He took note that his fingers were shaking.

Time seemed dragged on forever.

Yami's nonexistent heartbeat quickened as his hand reached ever closer to its destination. 'Ra...'

Already he could feel a change. His aura was stronger here, next to the mummy's skin. Gulping, not yet touching it, he brushed his fingers through the air over the body's torso, soaking in the ancient tendrils of his own magic that still radiating from the corpse. The feeling was... indescribable.

Yami suddenly wanted to break down and weep. So he wasn't dreaming! Here, now, before him in its entirety, was his very own body... and up until now, he hadn't realized just how much he missed it.

"Oh...!" Caught unprepared, one of his fingers accidentally brushed the mummy's left hand. Startled, Yami quickly retreated his hand, expecting some great explosion or his ancient body to explode in bits.

When nothing of that sort happened, the spirit released a shaky breath, tentatively replacing his hand on his physical one, sensing with magic the rough linen under his fingers and the stiff, dried digits that were once his. /My gods.../ he whispered to himself, dazedly trailing his touch upward over the mummy's arm.

Numbly, he was distantly aware of a chanting that now rose to his attention, radiating from the touch he now shared with his body. The enchanted words were soft but distinctly Egyptian, uttered from the lips of many ancient men and women, though Yami noted that his own voice was not within the mix.

It was a spell.

A spell for the dead.

Ra, was... was this it? Was he remembering...?!

Yami didn't dare to hope, but he couldn't prevent his hand from trailing higher, over the mummy's neck and to its face. A shudder ran through him, his breath coming quick and shallow.

The chanting rose feverishly now, magic crackling in the air, though whether it be from the mummy or himself, Yami couldn't tell. They were blessing him, these voices, whispering to him the dream the undying lands that awaited after Judgment, wishing him well on a journey that they all knew he would not complete.

Yami was stunned. Could it be...?! Could he be hearing what his own body heard in its last moments before it was locked away within the sarcophagus for a lonely thirty centuries? Could he... could he be hearing his own *burial*?

Then, quite suddenly, the chanting stopped.

Complete and utter silence.

Yami shuddered, eyes glazed over, breathing coming in pants.

Pharaoh... It was a young man, in his prime and strong by the tone of it, calling to him in their native tongue, whispering sadly to him as he must have done thousands of years ago.

Magic pulsed with his words.

My Pharaoh ... There came a soft sound, more like a grieving sob then anything else. Ghostly fingers brushed Yami's forehead, an enchanted touch many centuries old. I will wait for you...

~*~*~*~*~*~

Yami wasn't aware of what happened next. He felt a distinct tearing sensation and a powerful blast of magic that ripped violently through his very being.

He screamed.

Then, he felt nothing.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Yami came to awareness swiftly, disorientated and alarmed. He was blind, mute and deaf, stuck somewhere dark and very uncomfortable. There was the strange sensation of shifting organs in his torso, accompanied by countless waves of strong magic that threatened to overwhelm even him.

Suddenly, he was aware of another sensation, one that he had not felt for many millennia. It took him a few seconds to identify.

Pain.

He was in pain.

In fact, he was in a great deal of pain. Something was squeezing painfully at his flesh, so tightly that, despite his best efforts, he couldn't breathe. Or move, for that matter.

He was mummified *alive*.

Somewhere in the mist of his rising panic, Yami realized that he had a functioning tongue. So he did the only thing that he could think of doing.

He screamed.

There suddenly came the sound of a hard impact above him and shattering glass pouring over him, two alarmed voices rising with the sound. Strong hands shot out of nowhere now, holding down his struggling form, tearing at his constricting binds with blades and bare fingers.

Air! Glorious, free air!

Yami's scream died off only because of his overwhelming need to breathe; he inhaled again and again, almost sobbing as his dry throat burned in protest. His lungs, too, screamed out, cries and coughs tearing wildly from his chest.

His arms were soon freed, and they lashed out uncontrollably, muscles spasming in panic and pain.

Hands greeted his own, allowing his fingers to clasp frantically on to theirs, pulling him upright. Warm arms held on to his shaking shoulders, cradling him gently as he shuddered and cried out in agony.

Easy, your majesty... Easy... cooed a warm voice, the words soft and soothing.

The unique sounds of his native tongue, though distinctly recognized, were garbled and distant when they reached Yami's ears, his hearing ringing painfully from even the slightest sound. I... Wha--? he panted, his tongue mangling even the simplest of syllables.

There was a rip and the last of his binds were torn; a relieved sob rose from Yami's throat, a panicked, animal-like sound.

Can you breath? his savior asked him gently.

Yami trembled against the arms that held him, trying desperately to catch his breath and calm his racing pulse. Y-Yes... The word didn't quite come out like he wanted it to, and he stopped abruptly, embarrassed and confused.

An amused chuckle came from above, though the small sound rang painfully in Yami's skull.

Are you alright? asked a second voice gently, much deeper then the first.

Yami numbly nodded, biting his lip as his neck muscles jolted in sharp pain. The feeling wasn't so much agonizing as it was unfamiliar. Pain...Ha, pain...! He hadn't felt pain in so many years...! 'What's going ON?!' Yami wanted to scream again, more out of total and utter confusion then anything else. What were all these... these weird sensations?

In desperation, he tried something he hadn't dared to do up until now; he opened his eyes.

Easier said then done.

His eyelids felt like dead lead weights, and only after his third attempt did they painfully separate to allow him a little peek of the outside world.

He was met by light so bright that it immediately blinded him, his eyes tearing as he shut them tightly again. Letting out a choked gasp, Yami cowered in his savior's arms from the sheer amount of stimuli that had bombarded him.

Come on, your majesty... That's it...

Carefully, slower this time, Yami's sore eyes opened once more, peeking meekly at the outside world, blinking rapidly as if awakening from deep slumber. His blurred vision swam, doubling what he saw as if he was peering out from under a current of water.

Everything was white. Far too white.

Yami winced and squinted, tearing in the effort to keep looking.

The light slowly soaked into his eyes and things began to focus. It was all fuzzy and undefined shapes at first, with contrasting dark and light making up a rather crude black-white image. Then, gradually, the dark began to define itself, molding into somewhat familiar shapes, some of its shadowy hue turning lighter or darker then others.

Yami felt his breath quicken.

Color... He was seeing color!

Though his vision still swam, he was able to make out a bronze-hued oval shape with two dark blobs in the middle and a dark mass surrounding it. The Pharaoh blinked in disbelief. I-Ishizu...? he squeaked, trying desperately to make out the face.

The woman only smiled at him with a blurred mouth.

A second face joined hers, a man's, peering down from above with tears in his eyes. Welcome back, your majesty...

~*~*~*~*~*~

Yugi awoke with an unholy shriek. A very loud, hysterical shriek that immediately awoke Sugoroku and half of the city.

Yami was gone.

Simply gone. Even if they weren't communicating, the spirit's presence was always there in the Puzzle, a kind of warm glow that always reassured Yugi no matter where he was. But now the spirit was just... not there. As if he had simply vanished.

Yugi curled up in bed, shaking so bad he could barely control himself. And still, he screamed on, in such a panic that he could barely form coherent thoughts. He had grown so attached to Yami's presence that this sudden emptiness within him was totally and completely terrifying.

Sugoroku scrambled in, rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes as he fumbled for the light switch. "Yugi!" Flinging himself to his hysterical grandson, the old man found the small child spasming in his arms, trying to push him away with failing, blind limbs. "Yugi! YUGI!"

Realizing who it was, Yugi flung himself at his grandfather, sobbing and screaming at the same time. "He's gone...! He's gone!" he cried, nearly tearing Sugoroku's PJ's in two with his tiny fists.

"What-- Who's gone!?"

At that precise moment the phone rang.

RRRRRRRIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG.

Yugi went suddenly quiet, trembling like a leaf, violet eyes huge and teary as they bore into the phone. Sugoroku looked down at him, baffled, then up at the phone, frowning. Gently, slowly, he disentangled himself from his grandson's limbs and stood shakily, taking a deep breath as he picked up the receiver.

Expecting some psychotic maniac demanding ransom, he was pleasantly surprised by a soft, respective voice. "Mr. Motou, I'm sorry to call so late. May I speak with Yugi? This is urgent."

Bewildered, Sugoroku peered suspiciously at the phone in his hands before handing it to Yugi, watching as the boy leveled it with an equally suspicious stare. "Its for you."

The boy seemed more petrified then panic-stricken now, and it took him a few moments to gain enough control of his shaking hands to receive the phone. "H-Hello...?"

"Yugi, this is Ishizu. I--"

"ISHIZU!" Yugi went into hysterical mode again, sobbing. "Ishizu, Y-Yami's gone! I don't know where he is and--"

"Shhhh... Calm yourself, child..." Ishizu chuckled softly. "You needn't worry; Yami's fine. In fact, he's with me."

Stunned silence.

"...WHATDAYA MEAN HE'S WITH YOU?!"

"I'll explain later. Listen, I need to ask you a personal question."

"...Um, okay..."

"... What size are your clothes?"

~*~*~*~*~*~

"You have to be quiet," Ishizu explained softly, "And try not to move too quickly; they get alarmed quite easily."

"'T-They'?!" echoed Yugi, teeth chattering as he pulled his soaked jacket tighter over him. He and his grandfather stood in the middle of the museum, dripping wet and still dressed in their PJ's. They had driven over as soon as they could, but they hadn't exactly taken in their own health to mind until now.

There was the sound of hurried, slopping footsteps and they turned to find Ryou scrambling in through the museum doors, as undressed and wet as they were. He, however, had the sense to grab an umbrella. "I'm here, I'm here!" he panted, looking around with as much distress and bewilderment as Yugi. "Where's Bakura!?"

Ishizu smiled at them, then brought a finger to her lips, shushing them all. Turning, she motioned for them to follow.

They passed through a dimly lit hallway into a dark, small room, the heater blasting and turning the air stifling hot. Three figures were huddled in the corner on a make-shift couch, one tall and standing, the other two curled up pathetically in blankets. Through the dark, one could see a bush of tri-colored hair and a mass of silvery-white hair.

The standing man looked up when they entered, gray eyes sparkling.

"...Shadi?!" whispered Yugi in disbelief.

"Who?" echoed Sugoroku.

The turbaned man smiled back at them, nodding a silent greeting. He motioned them closer, one of his hands drifting downward to rub comfortingly on one of the huddled forms by his side.

As if on cue, the Puzzle and the Ring went nuts. The Ring's pointers were spinning off all over the place, some pointing at Ishizu, others pointing at Shadi and the last spinning off in random directions. The Puzzle glowed and quivered excitedly, flashes of brilliant light escaping between the cracks of its pieces.

It lit up the room in momentary flickers, the dazzling light made the two sitting beings wince and look away.

Yugi's breath froze in his throat. "It couldn't be..."

The form that Shadi had been so tenderly caressing looked up cautiously at the sound of his voice, glazed crimson eyes blinking blindly in his direction.

"Aibou...?" The voice was raspy and dry, carrying a hint of an exotic accent as it formed the Japanese word carefully and slowly.

"...Yami...?" whispered Yugi, frozen in place with eyes impossibly wide.

Ryou squeaked then fainted dead on the spot.

Silence.

Now both of the huddled forms looked up curiously at the newcomers, the white-haired one making a strange sound that sounded like a pathetic attempt to laugh. He --assuming it was a he-- seemed focused on Ryou's prone form on the ground, pointing at it excitedly in a clear effort to mock. Shadi sent him a glare, then went to revive the fallen boy.

Hesitating only briefly during this strange episode, Yugi found himself flying at his yami, sobbing when he hit a warm, solid chest. They could touch! Oh, how he had dreamed of this...! "H-How--?" he whispered, patting the other madly, making sure that he wasn't just imagining this.

Their bond flared back to life, stronger then ever, an overwhelming wave of excitement, confusion, and hysterics pouring in from both sides. The Puzzle was glowing intensely now, almost as happy as they were.

"How?" Yugi clung to Yami's chest, snuggling into it, openly weeping. "Oh, Yami, i-is this for real...?"

He looked up, finding teary, wide crimson eyes gazing down at him. His breath froze at the sight. True, he had seen the spirit in their soul room and in spiritual form, but he had never seen any eyes so... so beautiful, so ageless...! The sight was just... incredible...

"Aibou...?" whispered Yami quietly, obviously still in disbelief. Hesitantly, slender, trembling fingers reached up and brushed against Yugi's forehead, stroking the skin lightly as if he had never felt anything quite like it. "Oh, Yugi...." the Pharaoh breathed, a hesitant smile forming on his lush lips, crystal tears suddenly overflowing his watery eyes.

"Y-Yami...? Yami, why are you crying...? " whispered Yugi in amazement, reaching up in turn to brush aside the tears. "What is it...?"

Yami smiled a brilliant smile through his tears. "You feel warm, Yugi... You feel warm...!"

~*~*~*~*~*~

~~~DREAM~~~

The angel always had a fascination for his eyes. Kaiba really didn't know why, but nevertheless, the beautiful boy always brushed aside his bangs to see them, smiling with open admiration and curiosity at their sparkling cobalt depths. Quite a few times he motioned for Kaiba to lower his head, brushing tender lips against the CEO's eyelids as if he was placing some eternal, sacred blessing against them.

Kaiba never complained; if anything, he had been quite flattered. His eyes weren't often described as so much beautiful as they were frightening, their stunning and rare shade of aquamarine always striking terror into all that fell under their gaze. No one but Mokuba ever said they were beautiful, and Mokuba --being so used to his brother's unique traits-- never said much about it in the first place.

Tonight was no different from any other. The angel cuddled in his arms, slight fingers trailing up and over every inch of Kaiba's face like a blind man trying to form some mental picture. Every so often, the slender digits would brush over the CEO's brilliant eyes, trembling with delight as they fluttered closed, allowing his touch to continue wherever it wanted to. The boy' s rosy lips twisted upward with satisfaction and contentment, as if deeming this exquisite man as his own.

Kaiba chuckled, brushing his lips faintly against the tip of the angel's fingers, reveling in the boy's soft coo. "You touch me too much..." he mumbled against those fingers, planting a dainty kiss on each finger tip.

The boy pulled away playfully, a mock pout on his face so cute that it could have put Mokuba to shame. His eyes twinkled with mirth, their radiant, fiery hue rivaling the deep ocean-blue of his companion's own eyes.

Kaiba melted like putty. He came toward his angel with wide arms like some love-sick Romeo, intent on wooing and kissing the boy senseless.

To his surprise, the boy turned away from him, sticking out his tongue and sending just one last furtive look over his shoulder. Touch me if you can, his large eyes giggled before he took off in a blur of white and gold.

The element of surprise had Kaiba standing there like a statue, blinking in annoyance and disbelief.

Then, with a playful roar, he chased after his angel, dashing through the silk veils and leaving the white world behind. The chamber was brilliantly hued but dark, giving away the boy's position as he darted about its depth, a flash of white against the murky depth of the room. He was surprisingly fast, a blur of silver behind a pillar, a flash of gold around a statue, sometimes a twinkle of grape-red eyes peering intensely from the shadow. The boy's twinkling laughter filled the air, echoing all around Kaiba as if he was darting from place to place faster then the speed of light; one moment by the man's shoulder, the next giggling at him from beyond a distant pillar.

Kaiba wasn't sure if he was running too fast or if the room itself was spinning, but he found himself lost in a swirl of color, pillars flying past him at unimaginable speeds, mist dancing happily around his ankles as if intent on tripping him.

Next thing he knew, he was pinned against the ground, his angel sitting victoriously on his waist, hands pressing down firmly against the man's broad chest.

Caught you, the boy's eyes clearly exulted, grinning broadly as he lowered his face down toward Kaiba's, their noses almost touching.

Kaiba flinched; even in dreams he didn't like being beat.

The boy cocked his head curiously at this strange expression, never having seen it on his love's face before. He immediately rolled off the CEO, eyes suddenly wide and frightened like a guilty child who had done something horribly wrong.

Kaiba fought the urge to laugh, quelling down his stubborn side. Eyes smiling on their own accord, he let out a soft sigh and raised his arms to cradle the back of his head, squirming into a restful position. "You won, angel... Touch me all you want," he whispered, eyes closing serenely.

There was a moment of hesitance before he heard the soft rustling of silk, a slight, warm body crawling on his chest once more. Lips twisting upward, Kaiba fought down a silver of excitement, fingers tingling to just reach out and snag that beautiful body above him.

To his surprise, a slender hand snaked behind his head to claim one of his hands, bringing it up until it touched something smooth, warm and soft.

Kaiba peeked open his eyes, his breath stopping dead in his throat.

The boy seemed intent on winning back his favor, purring as he rubbed his cheek against the CEO's palm, eyes closed in bliss like that of a cat being stroked. Sensing Kaiba's hesitance, the boy opened his eyes to look down at the man, blinking. Touch me, his eyes pleaded.

"Will you allow me to...?" whispered Kaiba softly, eyes unnaturally warm as he sat up, shifting the boy to his lap, holding him as close as a valuable doll.

The boy flushed at their new position, nodding even as he cuddled against the taller man's chest, cooing his delight.

"Then I will..." purred Kaiba, tilting the angel's head up and lowering his own to kiss the boy soundly.

~~~END DREAM~~~

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Big brother, guess wh--?" Mokuba trailed off, eyes widening.

Kaiba laid limply on his bed, slim body curled limply under the sheets, long arms tossed over his eyes as if some invisible source of light was blinding him. He was a pathetic sight, his chest rising in shallow pants, tears clearly rolling down his cheeks. A whimper that sounded suspiciously like a sob passed from his lips, a feeble, tiny sound.

"Big...brother...?" questioned Mokuba hesitantly, horrified. He knew something was wrong! Big brother never slept in this late! "Seto...?" Voice now a choked whisper, Mokuba crept closer, stomach wrenching upon itself. He reached out with a trembling hand to touch his brother's shoulder, appalled to find the skin moist and burning hot.

The teen never reacted, sounds of soft weeping continuously escaping him.

Mokuba bit his lip, scrambling out the door and gently closing it behind him. Then, all but running to his room, he picked up his own phone with shaking hands. "Yugi? I'm going to have to call you back... I-I think I have to get a doctor."

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was getting harder now... Harder to wake up from his heavenly dreams to a cruel, lonely reality. Kaiba knew it and feared the consequences. Already, for far too many days, he had to drag himself up to go to work only to nod off in the middle of a meeting, backlogging himself on desk work afterward. The sub-conscious loneliness he continuously felt made itself known in an abnormal amount of built-up frustration, including one episode where he literally threw his cup of coffee at his secretary when she came in without knocking.

Plus he always felt like crap.

Needless to say, his employees gave him far more space then usual.

"Uunnnnggghhhh..." Kaiba moaned, fighting down nausea when he shifted his head. His headache spiked at that precise moment, making his ears ring and his mind spin painfully. Unconsciously, his arms tightened around his head until it almost hurt.

How long has it been since he awoke? It could have been hours for all he knew, but time meant nothing in his half unconscious state. Lord, nothing mattered anymore...

I follow the night...
Can't stand the light...
When will I begin
to live again...?

One day I'll fly away...
Leave all this to yesterday...
What more could your love do for me?
When will love be through with me?

"Big brother...?"

The voice sounded so soft and distant, and yet the mere sound of it made Kaiba's eardrums throb.

'Who is that...? Mokuba...?' Kaiba tried to reply but his body refused to obey him, his lips chapped and stuck firmly together. A wave of agony ripped through him and a groan tore from his throat.

Bloody hell, where was the pain coming from? The dreams hadn't bothered him terribly until recently, though now it seemed they were on some kind of warp speed, quickly accelerating in their pace to addict him. The drawbacks to such a 'high'? First weariness, then headaches, then frustration... and now there wasn't one part of him that didn't hurt.

"S-Seto...?" Mokuba sounded scared, but his voice was so blurred that it was hard to tell. "Seto, if you can hear me, there's a doctor here to check you out, okay...?"

'Doctor? DOCTOR?' screeched Kaiba silently in utter outrage. A low growl made his displeasure known, but if anything, it made his head throb even more.

There was the distant sensation of pair of small hands embracing one of his larger own, squeezing it tightly. "Seto, please, I know you don't like doctors, but you're really sick and--"

"I'm not sick." The words took all his effort to form and say, but Kaiba managed it. They came out an octave too high, though.

Mokuba couldn't find a reply, but the doctor did. "Of course you aren't, Mr. Kaiba. Your younger brother merely wanted you to have a check up."

Kaiba snorted, still refusing to budge from his position. With considerable effort, he pulled himself into full consciousness, dimly aware of Mokuba's warm body against his side and the weight of a larger man leaning on the side of his bed.

A hand much larger then Mokuba's touched his elbow, and Kaiba involuntarily jumped at the foreign contact. "Don't touch me," he growled.

"Big brother!" exclaimed Mokuba, "Hold still! For me?" There was a pleading tone in his voice that no one could resist, though Kaiba tried his darnest.

He failed nevertheless. Sighing, the teen swallowed down his rising indignation and allowed one of his arms to be taken, wincing as sunlight filtered in through his eyelids.

The doctor, an elderly man who had long knew both brothers inside out --literally-- sent Mokuba a soft thank you before gently cradling Kaiba's long arm in one hand, pulling out a small syringe and a kit that followed it. In moments he had taken three small containers of blood samples and proceeded to take blood pressure and heart beat, hesitantly only briefly before pulling aside the sheets and parting Kaiba's shirt.

If the boy was annoyed any more by the chilliness of the doctor's instrument or the clear violation of privacy, he didn't show it, holding perfectly still though with a distinct frown on his thin lips. The doctor glanced up briefly to find that, somewhere under the other arm, Kaiba's infamous blue eyes had yet to open. Which was fine with poor old man, since that icy gaze was perhaps the most feared one in all of Japan.

"Well, Mr. Kaiba," he say finally, "You seem fine." Mokuba's suspicious glare was met with only a sincere shrug. "If we get any strange lab results from your blood, we'll notify you immediately."

An annoyed grunt was his only answer.

Pleased to escape with his head, the doctor uttered a gentle goodbye and turned to leave, suitcase and coat at hand.

"Wait!" Mokuba scrambled after him, catching him in the middle of the hall.

"Yes, little one?" The doctor's eyes were warm but tired as they peered down at the boy.

Mokuba bit his lip, his eyes darting nervously in the direction of his brother's bedroom. "H-He's been having really bad headaches lately... and I worried if there's anything... y'know..." he looked down, flustered, "...maybe wrong with his brain?"

The doctor blinked, then rubbed his beard thoughtfully. He sighed. "Mokuba, mostly likely its nothing. Others who work as hard as your brother are very prone to headaches."

"But big brother's not like the othe--"

The doctor chuckled, kneeling to look the boy in the eye. "Mokuba, the only way we can check his brain is if he gets in an MRI or a CAT machine, which I doubt he would do so willingly." He shook his head. "But we'll see." Patting the boy reassuringly on his shoulder, the doctor stood and turned to leave. "Good day, little Kaiba. Keep him off as much work as you can, but if it gets worse, tell me."

Mokuba watched him go, biting his lip. Then, with a dejected sigh, he turned to go check on his brother. He squeaked when he realized Kaiba was standing at the doorway of the main bedroom, blinking groggily at him and leaning on the doorway for support. "Seto... You... shouldn't be up!"

Kaiba glared at him with narrowed blue eyes, though the threat behind them was empty and rather disorientated. "You, imp, are not in any position to confine me to bedrest."

"You have months of free vacation time," Mokuba argued, rushing hurriedly to his brother's side in case the tall man took a tobble, "You can rest for one day."

"I will not. I have--"

"--too much work." Mokuba stood before his brother with his hand on his hips, burning flame in his gray eyes that matched his brother's. "You are going to relax, you hear?"

Kaiba would never admit it, but the intensity radiating off Mokuba suddenly made him uneasy. "I--"

"--Promise me, Seto." Mokuba turned on the puppy eyes, complete with a perfect little pout and that evil little twinkle in the corner of his eyes.

Kaiba knew he was a doomed man. Tugging uncomfortably at his silver pajama's, he hung his head to avoid Mokuba's gaze. "Fine."

"Good." The shorter boy grinned broadly, looking entirely too smug.

Kaiba grumbled irritably under his breath. "Too cute for his own good, damn little--"

"Language, big brother, language!"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that day, Mokuba was finding it hard to confine his brother in any space. The boy managed to ban all laptops, pens, and cell phones from his brother's grasp, but was quite helpless when the CEO insisted on getting up and about.

But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

With an playful grin, Mokuba innocently sat across the table from his brother, who was intent on reading the newspaper, that being one of the few things he was allowed to do. "Hey big brother, you need to get out more."

"Mmph."

"You know what? Yugi called this morning."

"Hsh."

"He wanted us to go over to his house."

At this Kaiba snorted. "'Us'?" he echoed in clear disdain.

"Mm-hmm. He said he had a surprise."

Kaiba made a sudden face, either because of his dislike of the word or he needed more aspirin. Maybe both, since he got up and headed for the closest bathroom. Mokuba noticed that there was still a slight sway in his steps.

Frowning at the observation, the younger Kaiba pouted. "Its not like Yugi's going to bite your head off," he chirped after his brother.

"No, but that accursed other half of him will."

Mokuba's frown deepened. "But we should go, Seto. I told him we would."

A muffled, irritated voice came from the bathroom. "Was that before or after you saw me this morning?"

"Er... before, but I still think we should go!" Mokuba suddenly grinned. "Did you just admit you were sick?"

"For the last time, I'm not *sick*, Mokuba." There was great emphasis and disgust on the word, followed by the pop of a capsule being opened and, moments later, the sipping of water.

"Fine. Be that way. But I'll only believe that if we go."

Sighing in annoyance, Kaiba hung his head over the sink, taking in a deep, shaky breath. He wasn't 'sick'.

He was just lonely.

Why live life from dream to dream?
And dread the day when dreaming ends...

One day I'll fly away...
Leave all this to yesterday...
Why live life from dream to dream?
And dread the day when dreaming ends ...

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kaiba's usually brilliant blue eyes were rather grumpy and dull as they gazed through the dark window of his limo, just a half an hour after Mokuba 'convinced' him to come with him to the Motou Game Shop. He didn't want to go. He hated going. Hell, he wasn't in the shape to go, though he would never admit that.

Mokuba watched his brother silently during the car ride, taking in the weary and limp way the CEO slumped against the door. That wasn't normal. But for the sake of avoiding another argument, Mokuba said nothing until they got to their destination. Then, unable to resist, he chirped out a gleeful, "We're there!"

Kaiba groaned, clearly not as ecstatic. Shifting his heavy head, he pushed himself up to his usually rigid position, fixing his trench coat to respective smoothness just in case the blond mutt opened the door without permission like he was prone to do. When there was no sign of the limo being forcibly opened, Kaiba peered cautiously out the window.

There was quite an commotion at the Game Shop, a bunch of kids gathering at the doorsteps, chatting excitedly; there was the mutt, the friendship girl, the guy with the one-spike hair, the dice-obsessed freak, the albino British kid, the blond girl that the mutt liked, and the mutt's little sister.

'Oh, joy, the lovey-dovey crew,' thought Kaiba with a low growl.

Mokuba, on the other hand, scrambled over his lap and out the door, chirping out greetings.

The gang welcomed him happily, then excitedly shoved him into the middle of their group.

Hoping that they weren't about to eat his brother live, Kaiba sat there for a while in awkward silence, unsure of what to do. Finally, coming rather cheerfully to the decision that no one was desperate for his presence, he closed the door and simply waited for his little brother to reappear from the friendship cult so they could leave.

No such chance.

In a flash, Mokuba --then Jou-- was by the window, pounding on it repeatedly and excitedly, yelling something impatiently though that was thankfully blocked out by the sound-proof windows.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, very tempted to just pretend he wasn't here and let them freak out over his car. However, Mokuba frowned in the beginning of his infamous 'look', and unable to resist another pout-attack, Kaiba sighed and brought down the window.

"Yo, money-bags, what took you so long?" demanded Jou as the darkened window slid down to reveal a piercing, arctic glare.

"Big brother, you missed it!" cried Mokuba, eyes sparkling. "OhmygodYugisaidthatYamiwenttothemuseumand--" He went on and on at light speed, motioning excitedly like some mime on drugs.

Kaiba watched him with a raised eyebrow, catching something about 'body-snatchers' though he understood very little of it all.

Then he saw something very... very... strange.

Where there was once one albino-kid there was now two, one clearly taller and more tanned then the other, smirking at him with a clear swagger --or it could be a unbalanced sway-- in his steps, his shorter 'twin' nervously at his side.

And where there was one Yugi there seemed to be... two.

The gang parted to let Yugi through, the boy grinning wildly when he saw the CEO's eyes widen in clear disbelief, his eyebrows flying toward the heavens.

Standing unsteadily by Yugi's side was an exotic-looking boy that could have passed for the tiny duelist's elder brother, had Yugi had one. However, the newcomer stood a good few inches taller then Yugi, skin almost bronze when compared to Yugi's pale cream. His hair was much like the Motou's traditional style, only with wild, brilliant blond streaks through the dark spikes. The boy's body was delicate as it was small in shape, slim limbs incased in black leather so tight and revealing it should be illegal. Long, shapely legs dangled teasingly in front of Kaiba's face, fluid muscles all but invisible under the expanse of the boy's smooth, dark skin.

Blue eyes widened and all color drained from Kaiba's features.

The boy looked up shyly, blinking huge, scarlet eyes at him. Fiddling with his hands, he flushed bashfully. "...Hello, Kaiba."

~*~*~*~*~*~

[1] - This list of kings made by Seti I is indeed a real list and is very beautiful; basically, there's an engraving of Seti I dressed as Pharaoh with Crown Prince Ramses by his side, holding a scroll. Past that scroll are a very long list of cartouches, perfectly lined up and covering the whole entire wall. Supposedly this one of the most accurate list of Egyptian kings ever!

[2] - Canopic jars --as anyone who had seen 'The Mummy' should know-- held the vital organs of an embalmed Egyptian mummy. Each jar had lids shaped with the heads of the four sons of Horus (which I'm not including cuz I'm making Horus single in this story :-p), each one guarding either the lungs, the heart, the liver or the intestines. These organs were removed during embalming by a cut in the left side of the abdomen, and the cavity they left was filled with resin and cloth to keep the mummy in good shape.

~*~*~*~*~*~

AN: Aw, didn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? ... or more willing to kill the authoress instead? EEP! *hides* Hm, lapsing into this not-so-short-but-not-too-long chapter phase. (20-pg stuff compared to CWM's average of 40-pg... Not bad. Less stressful and probably easier on the eyes. :-p) Hell of a cliffie though, eh? HA, I promised they'd meet, didn't I? MHAHAHAHA! Don't mind me, I planned that little "hello Kaiba" thing a really long time ago and I'm really excited I got to use it. But I had lots of fun writing this chapter; it took lots of work, so you better as all hell REVIEW!! And I swear, now that they've officially MET, Seto and Yami are going to have lots more fluffy moments planned for them. Sorry it took so long! I'm surprised you stuck with me this far... -_-;;

Oh oh oh!! ME HAVE SOME WONDERFUL NEW STORIES TO SUGGEST and keep you busy with while I struggle w/ the next chapter. All of these stories are s/yy in some way or other; seme seto generally. (PLEASE don't be offended if your story isn't here!) Sorry, I'm too lazy to search for the authors or the html address so you're gunna have to search by title:

~GAME QUEEN AND THEN SOME, by Borath (funniest, freakiest and one of the longest stories I've ever read; Yami gets pregnant --TWICE! I'm pretty sure this is the mother of all the stories w/ the whole fall-into-spring-turn-into-girl thing, but its far better then most of the sort I've read. O_o This story is so totally awesome, well-written, realistic and cute as anything. One of my fave stories of all time!! GO READ!! I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE AND I WILL STALK YOU IF YOU DON'T! I'm dead serious. T_T)

~DOUBLE CHECK (basically an adorable fic about how yugi likes jou, jou likes yugi, yami like seto, seto likes yami, but poor jou's too dense to understand anything! O_o Very cute, highly recommended! Er... I apologize to the author cuz I have yet to review this story. ^_^;;)

~THE MAN OR THE DRAGON (O_o *twitch twitch* AUGH!! I'm not giving anything away, but this will get you *thinking*. A beautiful, freaky, very original story! Go if you need something to think about for the next few days or if you wanna fail classes cuz u keep thinking about it! -_-;; *sob* AND I STILL CAN'T DECIDE!!)

~THE YOUNG AND THE BEAUTIFUL (YGO soap opera revolving around Yami/Seto!! *squeal* Its so goddamn CUTE!! And long... but at least its updated a lot!)

~KITE (hahahahahaha parody of all the suicide-attempt yami/seto stuff; u won't get the joke until you read the second chapter :-p)

~SEDUCTION OF ICE (by one of my email buddies, Duo's Only Chick; wonderful take on the blackmail-seduction type of thing, plus its daringly naughty)

~MY ETERNAL ROSE (by another email buddy, vegeta, one of the best known yami/seto authoresses around; all her stories are WONDERFUL and I suggest you check them all out if u haven't already)

NEXT UPDATE: (timing unknown cuz next chapter is only partially written and under MAJOR revisions) awkward moments in new body, Yami blushing too much, and lots of er... thoughts from Seto and Yami about each other (kinda pointless stuff really... more of the stupid I-hate-him-but-he's-pretty-damn-cute kind of thing -_-;; But stick with me anyway! I'm so afraid to lose readers! *sniffle*)